The Last Games
by TrackerJay
Summary: What if Katniss and Peeta tied the knot at sixteen? They wanted a family and Katniss became pregnant at eighteen? And then went into the Hunger Games?
1. Chapter 1

"Peeta! Quick! Come, the baby! The baby's kicking again!" I cry, calling out to Peeta who's is sitting on one of the large rocks by the stream in the woods. He comes rushing over to where I stand and carefully places a hand on my swollen belly as if I were as fragile as china.

"It happens every time you sing," he says, looking into my eyes, my own happiness reflected in the blue eyes I've come to love so much.

"And you're always there with me," I say, not necessarily making any sense. "I love you, Katniss." "I love you, too." Peeta moves to kiss me and we're inches apart until our unborn baby gets in the way, yet again, bumping Peeta backwards, panic crossing his handsome features.

"Oh no, did I hurt you? Did I hurt the baby? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Peeta. You seriously need to stop worrying about me and the baby. Everything is going to be fine, my mother said so. I'm fine," I reassure him, holding his hand and giving his cheek a kiss sideways. He takes a few deep breaths to calm down and suggest we should head back.

On the way back through the woods, I think about how I got to be in this position. The day Peeta proposed to me, he left a small cake on my doorstep that read "Will you marry me?" in swirling leaf green frosting. The day we officially got married, when we toasted slices of Peeta's home-made bread in front of the fire that was roaring in the hearth of our appointed house. The day I found out that I was carrying the best gift Peeta could give me, inside my belly. I smile at the memory. I shouldn't be happy on a day like this, not when the reaping is in half an hour. Where two children, a girl and a boy, will be randomly selected to represent District 12 in the Hunger Games.

Despite just turning eighteen, Peeta and I are still in the draw to be chosen. But hopefully, if the odds are in our favour, neither of us will be selected.

We reach the town square and register for the reaping, receiving sympathetic looks from even the coldest of Peacekeepers. We separate and stand in our assigned areas like we do every year, and I feel miles away from the arms that hold me so tenderly, and we wait for the reaping to start.

The anthem plays and a short propaganda film from the Capitol is shown to the unsmiling audience before Effie Trinket totters up in her ridiculously high heels and bright pink wig,to take her place at the microphone in the middle of the stage. She greets us like every year, and I feel like I'm living in a broken record, and wobbles over to the bowl that holds the boys' names. Usually she insists that the ladies go first, but I guess she's trying to make things a little more exciting for us and herself.

Effie reaches a gloved hand into the bowl and rummages around before she is satisfied with the name she picks. Returning to her place at the microphone, she unfolds the slip of paper and reads out the name in her Capitol accent.

"Peeta Mellark."

My heart stops, at least that's what it feels like. No, it can't be, not Peeta. I can see the panic in his ashen face even as he walks up to his place on the right of Effie. My heart sinks down to the bottom of the place where my unborn baby spends its eventless days.

"Now for the girls," Effie chirps, oblivious to all the eyes trained on me, my husband standing on the stage, practically in his first stage of death. Effie selects a name from the bowl and reads it out.

"Primrose Everdeen." Really? First my husband, now my sister? No way, I can't let both of them go into this.

"I volunteer! I volunteer as tribute!" I say the words before I can stop myself.

Prim, who's already walking up the aisle to the podium, stops and looks back at me in complete horror. Peeta looks at me with silent tears running down his cheeks. I can almost hear what he's thinking. 'Why would you do something like that, you brainless woman?'

"Well, it looks like we have our very first volunteer from District Twelve! Come on up, dear!" Effie claps and beckons eagerly, and I doubt she can see below my neck, for the crowd is shielding me from view.

Taking hesitant steps, gaining confidence with each one, and looking straight ahead, I step out of the crowd so everyone can see me. Gasps of shock and sympathy echo around the square, Effie looks shocked if somewhat intrigued, and Peeta simply has his face in his hands. Making eye contact with Effie, I walk confidently onto the stage to stand next to Peeta and hold one of his tearstained hands.

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the District Twelve tributes, for the 74th Annual Hunger Games!" Effie booms, trying to reassure herself and clapping. No one claps along with her. The silent audience briefly touch their three middle fingers on their right hands to their mouths before holding them up to me and Peeta in a sympathetic salute. Peeta and I are ushered into the Justice building behind us before anything else can happen, so we can say goodbye to our loved ones for the last time.


	2. Chapter 2

Time flies when you're distracted. I barely remember the time between the day of the reaping and now, the night of the tribute parade. I'm waiting by my chariot, wearing a flowing black dress that spills over my belly and brushes past my ankles. I'm also wearing a simple black crown on my forehead. Peeta is dressed all in black as well, with a well-fitting tunic and trousers that make the muscles on his arms and chest seem intimidating, and he's wearing an identical headpiece. My stylist, Cinna, is explaining to us that he's going to set us on fire with a fake flame for the parade. On the outside, I look calm and collected about being set alight for the purpose of rich people's enjoyment, but on the outside I'm calm and collected, but on the inside my stomach is churning from the rich evening meal and the baby is kicking so hard on my ribs that I'm finding it hard to breathe.

Outside the anthem plays and the District 1 chariot rolls out to the city circle. Signalling it's time, Cinna sets both Peeta and myself on fire and then he leaves with the other stylists.

Peeta jumps up onto the chariot and hoists me up after him with the help of the boy from 11. He seems nice enough, but he's going to be an opponent in a couple of weeks so there's no use warming up to him, just thanking him for his assistance.

Our chariot jerks into motion as it follows the others outside. Kissing and rubbing my belly, Peeta starts to hum a valley song. I hum along with him, in hope that the baby will settle down. We finally break through the doors and we're immediately greeted by thousands of brightly coloured Capitol citizens, cheering and waving at us, and some even fainting.

Peeta and I don't wave back, we just hold hands and look straight ahead, and I catch a glimpse of myself on one of the massive screens. My black dress seems to be shining when before it looked clouded and dusty. My cape of flames looks so real but doesn't burn me. The headpiece is alight too, the flames rolling and twisting with the jolting motion of the chariot.

We ride through the city circle until we're out of sight of the adoring Capitol crowd, our costumes extinguish themselves and Peeta helps me down from the chariot and guides me towards the elevators. The rules have changed so that part of our early training, all the tributes have to walk up stairs to their level, but because I'm carrying a heavy load, District 12 gets the privilege of riding the elevators.

The doors are about to close when the boy from 11 holds the doors open with his foot, a figure in his arms that I'm assuming is the girl from his district. She's asleep and looks to be about twelve years old, about Prim's age. The boy introduces himself as Thresh and explains that Rue's stylist, the girl, put her in steep high heels to make her seem taller and older next to Thresh. While disembarking the chariot, the horses got spooked about her mane of dark curly hair and jerked the coach, throwing her head-first into the floor. She has no injuries apart from the small lump forming on her forehead and being unconscious.

The rest of the elevator ride is uneventful and seems to take forever.


	3. Chapter 3

We reach our floor with a ding and I follow Peeta hand in hand, down the long confusing corridors to our rooms. I don't actually sleep in my assigned room. I only change clothing and shower in there to keep the Avoxes happy, but I always sleep beside Peeta.

I've changed into a pair of fluffy pyjamas with little ducks on it I pad across the hallway and into Peeta's room. I sit down on the bed as he comes out of the bathroom, wearing his pair of stripy pyjamas, his hair half slicked back from the shower he came out of. He sits down on the end of the bed and strokes one of my legs through the fluffy fabric of my P.J's.

"You were beautiful tonight," he tells me.

"You didn't look too bad yourself," I answer.

"And your feet are freezing," he says. He retrieves a pair of his socks from a drawer and slides them on my feet, no matter how hard I try to prove I can reach my toes with a big belly in the way. Once the socks are on, he starts tickling my feet, which he knows I hate but can't help but enjoy it at the same time, which makes me giggle like Prim used to when I tickled her nose with a feather when she was a toddler.

"No! Stop it! Aaah! Nooo!" I say, in my feeble attempt to sound at least a tiny bit serious.

"But you know you secretly like it," Peeta says, settling down on the bed beside me, tracing small soft circles on my stomach with his calloused fingertips that have the muscle to throw bags of flour but the gentleness to hold a loved one so tenderly. The only thing I remember is falling asleep with the assurance that Peeta is lying next to me.

**Peeta's POV**

I wish I could freeze this moment forever. Katniss, looking so peaceful when she sleeps, and so beautiful. Our baby is cradled between us, tucked safely inside her belly, one of my hands resting on it to ward off intruders. I place a small kiss on her stomach and then on her forehead, before I settle down next to her for sleep, my hand still resting on our unborn creation.

I start to think about what we've achieved together and individually. I had the nerve to throw her the bread, even if it did mean I'd receive a beating from my mother. When Katniss found the courage after school one day to come and ask me if we could be friends. The embarrassment she felt when Prim asked a little too loudly if Katniss was going to marry me in a few months. When I finally found the guts to bake a beautiful cake that asked her to marry me. I still remember that day clearly as if it were yesterday.

I waited until my mother had gone out before I finished writing the most important question on the cake in leaf green icing. Leaving a note for my mom if she did come back early, I travelled to where Katniss's house was in the Seam. I left the cake on her doorstep and knocked on her front door before bolting behind a nearby maple tree.

"I'll get it!" I'd heard Prim from inside.

"No, I'll get it. You need to do your homework," Katniss said and then she was standing in the doorway, looking down at the cake. The most beautiful smile lights up her face as she picks up the cake and whispers her answer. "Yes." The next minutes were filled with joy as she found me behind the tree, pressing her body up against mine and kissing me in a way that only lovers would do. She dropped the cake while we were kissing, but we picked it up and started throwing pieces of sponge and green icing at each other like children until we looked, smelled and tasted like cake. Long story short, it's been an eventful three years.


	4. Chapter 4

I wake up with yellow morning light streaming in through the window and shining on my face. Peeta's arms are around me, as they always are. I sigh, happy the way I am, wishing I could stay here forever, and not go downstairs for training.

I can hear footsteps approaching from down the corridor; no doubt it's Effie in her heels. A knock sounds at my assigned bedroom door and Effie starts talking to the emptiness on the other side.

"Katniss dear! Time to get up; we've got a big, big, big day of training ahead of us! Katniss? Are you even in there-" I hear Effie open the door and use some fancy Capitol swears before pounding on Peeta's door.

"I know you two are in there! Hurry up and get ready!" Effie yells. I grab a belt off the floor and flick it towards the door, it latches onto the handle and I give it a hard yank from where I lie on the bed and the door swings open to reveal a frustrated Effie, her bright orange wig a tiny bit off-centre.

"How can we help you?" I say, acting innocent.

"Hmm, what?" Peeta is now awake.

"Clean up, get dressed and meet myself and Haymitch at the elevators in an hour," Effie says, looking at the door handle suspiciously as she walks away.

"I don't wanna get up," I complain, burying my head under a pillow.

"You can stay in bed if you want to, if you want Effie to yell in your face again," Peeta says from where he's putting socks on.

I abruptly sit up. "I suddenly feel very wide awake," I say, walking out the door to my room where my oversized training uniform has been set out on my un-used bed for me.

It fits perfectly and the pants offer some support for my stomach.

_At the elevator…._

When we reach the elevator, Effie is pacing nervously and Haymitch seems to be having fun pressing the button that summons the elevator.

"Great timing you two! The elevator just arrived!" As if on cue, the elevator arrives with that annoying bell sound and board it and I feel weightless as it shoots down to the Training Centre level.

Most of the other tributes are already here and are dotted around at the various skill stations. The weapons stations seem pretty popular for the big, burly and agile tributes, no doubt the kids who volunteered for the Games. They show off their skills by throwing spears, aiming knives at dummies and almost breaking the necks of the trainers in one on one combat. I can see Thresh trying to tie a complicated looking know that results in cuffing himself. The little girl from his district is flying above his head on rope monkey bars. She weaves herself in and out of the knotted squares and somersaults around the side and eventually drops herself down, landing soundlessly behind Thresh and tapping him on the shoulder before ducking away.

"When is your baby due?" I yelp in surprise and turn around, where Rue stands before me. How the hell did she get around there.

"Um, I-I don't know, soon, hopefully," I stammer.

"Just so you know, a lot of us are willing to die so you can get out alive," she says.

I'm taken aback by her sudden desire to sacrifice herself for the survival of myself and my unborn child, so I thank her and suggest to Peeta that we should split up among the stations.

While Peeta goes off to see what he can do at a spear- throwing station, while I settle down and try to make a fire using only a stick and a log. It takes a while for the smoke to emit from the log and my hands are tired from rubbing the stick. I halt rubbing and take a moment to catch my breath, and tiny little flames emerge from the hole in the log. They're so small and clumsy, fighting for attention, throwing themselves over each other to get out and grow, and it surprisingly makes me laugh, which causes everyone within range to stop what they're doing and stare.

Thresh is with Peeta, throwing spears. Peeta has good aim and buries the spear a few inches in the target every time he throws. Thresh, on the other hand, has enough power to strike the target, but his aim is terrible. In the arena, he'd be lucky to spear the victims' clothes instead of killing them. Not on my watch.

"Straighten your arm, put your elbow down so it's straight," I say when I get over there.

Thresh looks at me in confusion, his hand still poised to throw the metal spear. I smile and adjust his elbow so it's pointing straight at the target and the spear is pointing straight ahead.

"Throw it," I say, nodding my head towards the practice targets. Thresh takes a step back and hurls spear at the target, where it pierces the centre target of the chest outline.

"You got a good eye for flaws, girl on fire," Thresh says, sauntering off to the target to detach his spear.

"That was amazing, how did you see his mistake?" Peeta breathes in my ear, sliding an arm around my waist.

"My daddy used to teach me how to hunt with more than just a bow, let's leave it at that," I smile.

….

By the time the training session is over, I'm so tired I don't even remember how I got into Peeta's bed at all. But hey, I'm too tired to care, I guess all I have to do now is close my eyes and dream about the interviews in a few nights…


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Sorry I haven't put in any of these things, I have a terrible memory. See you all at the bottom.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games, all credit goes to Suzanne Collins.**

I was informed this morning at breakfast by Haymitch, drunk as ever no less, that the interviews for the tributes on the night before we go into the arena has been cancelled. In place of it, will be what the Capitol calls a fashion parade.

According to fourth hand information from Effie it's because this year's bunch of tributes is what the Gamemakers call 'an interesting bunch'. Interesting? We have twenty-two children, half of them are experienced killers, the other half are too young to know what's in for them, and a married couple with a baby on the way. Sure, interesting.

"Your stylists and prep teams will be here soon to get you ready," Effie chirps, almost skipping out of the dining room.

"A fashion parade? Seriously? That's so sick, I wanna throw up," Peeta says, putting down his mug of hot chocolate.

"You think that's sick?" I say, raising an eyebrow. "Try having morning sickness for two weeks."

Peeta bursts out laughing, my god he looks gorgeous when he smiles!

"Yeah, that was pretty disgusting, you looked like a zombie," he says between fits of laughter.

"Well you don't know what it's like!"

"Who doesn't know what what's like?" Cinna has just entered the room to come and help me get ready for the parade, which apparently will take the entire day.

"Nothing."

I follow Cinna out of the dining area and into my special prep room, where the strong aroma of hair products, shampoos, perfumes and nail paints and removers.

"As you know, things are going a little differently this year," Cinna says, while my prep team plucks hair from my face, legs and arms, massage goos and oils into my hair and perfectly shape my nails into perfect crescents.

"You will be in another costume, with flames, no less, and you will walk down a small raised stage, stop at the front and perform a talent for the audience. Singing, dancing, miming, it's all up to you," he says.

"Can I shoot an arrow at something? It's the only thing I'm good at other than insulting people," I joke, trying to crack a smile from my prep team and Cinna. It doesn't work.

"Perhaps something a little more innocent? Can you sing?" he asks.

"I can, but I won't. I'm not going to perform anything for a bunch of painted people," I say, crossing my arms.

Cinna looks mockingly defeated and rests his hands on my shoulders. He looks me in the eye and lowers his voice, but looks hopeful.

"Would you do it if I told you that a little birdie told me that Peeta would be singing tonight as well?" Peeta? I thought he would drag an oven out onto the stage and bake a cake or something, then maybe throw it at the audience. So much for cake face.

Ugh, now I have to do it. I'd do anything to make Peeta happy, even if it means I'm a little uncomfortable.

I give an exaggerated sigh. "Fine,"

"Perfect, let's get to work,"

The next five hours are filled with practicing my walk down the runway, stopping at the end and walking back up. I'm forced to practice singing a song called 'A Place for Us' by some band that I've never heard of before. Apparently I sing it so well I'm going to make everyone in the whole entire audience drop dead.

Says my sobbing prep team.

….

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it for the District 11 tributes!" Caeser Flickerman roars over the screaming Capitol fans.

"Now for the last two tributes, District Twelve. Here's Peeta Mellark!"

Music comes on and from the screen side stage, I see Peeta strut his way down the catwalk, his face full of a sexy seriousness that makes me melt on the inside. His hair is slicked back enough to be kept out of his face but it still sticks up in an unruly way. He's wearing tightly fitted black pants and a black shirt that's on fire with fake flames and it's open to reveal his muscular chest.

He stops at the front of the runway as the twenty other tributes before him had and he takes hold of the microphone in his hand.

"I would like to dedicate this song to a special gal who's here tonight. I love you," he says, and several women in the audience swoon at this comment, thinking it's them he's referring to. I even hear shouts like, "Me! He's talking about me! My name's Katherine, I love you too Peeta!" and I actually feel a twinge of jealousy.

_Girl, you're on my mind, but my mind's playing tricks on me__  
__It won't delete your face from my, my, my memory__  
__Sometimes I wish that I could just let you know__  
__But there's something holding on___

_My heart won't let you go__  
__'Cause you set fire to my soul__  
__You'll always have that piece of me__  
__Yeah, I think that you should know__  
__My heart won't let you go__  
__My heart won't let you go___

_Here we again, I can't explain in words__  
__The feelings I, I had for you were making things worse__  
__Right now I'm gonna tell you and I'm gonna make it known__  
__Girl, I can't escape you___

_My heart won't let you go__  
__'Cause you set fire to my soul__  
__You'll always have that piece of me__  
__Yeah, I think that you should know__  
__My heart won't let you go__  
__My heart won't let you go__  
__My heart won't let you go__  
__My heart won't let you go__  
__Yeah, I think that you should know__  
__My heart won't let you go__  
__My heart won't let you go___

_Why won't you hear me out__  
__Why won't you hear me out___

_My heart won't let you go__  
__'Cause you set fire to my soul__  
__You'll always have that piece of me__  
__Yeah, I think that you should know__  
__My heart won't let you go__  
__My heart won't let you go__  
__My heart won't let you go__  
__My heart won't let you go__  
__Yeah, I think that you should know__  
__My heart won't let you go__  
__My heart won't let you go_

That truly was beautiful. Oh god now it's my turn. Thoughts of failing start running through my head. Am I going to trip over? Am I going to throw up? Am I going to forget the words or fall off stage? Am I going to give birth in front of an audience of millions?

"You're on in five," the back stage hand says to me, leading me to the side of the catwalk.

"That was a beautiful performance, Peeta," Flickerman says, "Now ladies and gentlemen, you know her as the Girl on Fire, but we know her as the lovely Katniss Everdeen!" Why can they never get my name right?

The music starts and walk down the runway, wearing another white dress that spills over my stomach and turns black as the fake flames engulf my dress. I'm not wearing shoes at all, because I'm not allowed to wear heels, so Cinna had me walk through some ashes a couple of times to add to the effect of my dress.

I can see Peeta gaping at me through all the stage lights from where the tributes sit in the audience. I feel a blush rising in my cheeks at his stare.

The first thing I say when I reach the microphone is, "It's Mellark, Katniss Mellark,"

Alright, time to sing.

_There is a wall of silence in our way__  
__What's quiet in the voices I cannot say__  
__Through all the walls I fought in my mind__  
__And your eyes are the only refuge I find___

_So we moved under the spotlight__  
__And never thought about the price we'd pay__  
__When all the world around us slipped away___

_Hey, is there a place for us__  
__Where flames flicker and wave for us__  
__And we can see the future and the dreams it's made of__  
__Hey, is there a place__  
__A place for us___

_A place for us___

_Well I'm not afraid to die here__  
__But damned if I go on living a lie here___

_So long we revelled in the spotlight__  
__And never think about the price we'd pay__  
__When all the world around us slipped away___

_Hey, is there a place for us__  
__Where flames flicker and wave for us__  
__And we can see the future and the dreams it's made of__  
__Hey, is there a place__  
__A place for us___

_A place for us___

_Now from the streets we run__  
__Eyes wild like the sun__  
__We are the new creators__  
__We are the chosen ones___

_And as the city blazes__  
__You hear a voice that you can trust__  
__Singing is this the place for us___

_Hey, is there a place for us__  
__Where flames flicker and wave for us__  
__And we can see the future and the dreams it's made of__  
__Hey, is there a place__  
__A place for us___

_A place for us__  
__A place for us__  
__A place for us__  
__A place for us_

The crowd is silent for a while, after I finish singing.

Peeta's the first one to get out of his seat, clapping and whooping and laughing his head off. You can always count on your husband to embarrass you in front of a crowd of rich people.

Not sure what to do, I step off the stage and into Peeta's arms, our child bundled between us.

Again, I don't even remember getting changed and into bed next to Peeta. I must be really tired then.

**A/N: Hi guys, so that was a little different from what is usually classified as the Hunger Games, but I hope you enjoyed it anyway, I enjoyed writing it.**

**Um, just a future heads up to everyone, I won't be updating this fanfic from the 13/1/14 to the 18/1/14 because I will be away.**

**Happy New Year guys and enjoy.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: Uh… see you all at the bottom.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Hunger Games, all credit goes to Suzanne Collins.**

I groggily open my eyes, I'm still in Peeta's bed. I groan in tired frustration. What do I have to wake up so fucking early?

"Morning beautiful," Peeta says, stroking my hair. Did I wake him up?

"Did I wake you?" I ask through a yawn.

"No, I've been up for hours, nightmares I guess," he says, pecking me on the cheek.

"Me too," I say, rubbing my eyes.

I abruptly get up and I accidentally send Peeta into what I like to call the Panic Zone.

"What did I do? Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you? Did I hurt the baby? Are you alright? I'm so so so sorr-"

"Peeta!" He silences himself, looking guilty. "I just need to pee, really badly," I say quickly and dash off to the bathroom.

I come out five minutes later, suspecting the baby sat on my bladder the whole night, and turn to Peeta; who's pulling a shirt of his head.

"What torture are we being put through today?" I ask after thinking hard for a second.

"Ummm…."

"You two better be up! We've got another big, big, big day ahead of us! Well, not really _us_, more like you two! Individual Training Sessions!" Effie's unnaturally chirpy voice recedes as she bangs on our door and walks towards the dining room.

"There you go!" Peeta says, jumping off the bed and throwing me the clothes he probably picked up from my room.

"Do you have any idea what you're gonna do, Katniss?" Peeta asks me as we leave for breakfast.

I shrug and yawn. "I don't know. Maybe I'll just stand there and flood the place by peeing." Peeta cracks up laughing as we enter the dining room.

"What about you? You gonna make 'em all faint with your charms and big ass arms?" I ask, grabbing one of his biceps and putting on a mock amazement face.

I sit down next to Peeta and start piling my plate with an English style breakfast.

"Katniss, if you are a lady then I suggest you eat like one," Effie scolds from across the table, dabbing the corner of her mouth with one of the crisp white napkins.

"Have you tried eating for two people before?" I ask through a mouthful of toast and jam. Effie just looks digusted.

"No? Then lay off."

Just then, Haymitch staggers into the dining room. Drunk as ever.

"Catshit, why do you insist on carrying around a boulder all the time?" he says, half falling into a chair.

"I'm pregnant and it's Katniss," I snap. He's said the same thing _every single_ morning I've been here.

Haymitch moans to the ceiling. "Does that mean there's gonna be another _you_?"

"If it's a girl," I reply, slicing up an egg.

"I will not live if there is another you," Haymitch complains. I have had enough of this. He's insulted me on my unborn baby too many times.

Haymitch reaches for the jam jar and I stab the table with the shiny silver knife in my hand, right in between his fingers.

"THAT IS MAHOGANY!" Effie screams from across the table.

"And that's what you get when you mess with my wife and unborn child!" Peeta says, who is grinning from ear to ear.

Haymitch just stares at his fingers, the knife still in between them.

"You got good aim, sweetheart. I'm gonna go order my breakfast from room service. It's the less dangerous way to eat," he slurs, and staggers away from the table.

"I got all my fingers, the knife goes chop chop chop. If I miss the spaces in between my fingers will fall off…." Haymitch sings off-key, swaying from side to side out the door like he was on a boat during rough seas.

"You two should probably head down," Effie says, ushering us towards the exit. How the hell did she get over there so quickly?

I feel so heavy I think I'm in danger of not getting up again, but Peeta is beside me, hand outstretched for me to take, and let him lead me towards where Effie waits.

…

The waiting area for the tributes is small but comfortable. On our own assigned benches, each with a number plate on the edge for our districts.

The other tributes seem to give me dirty looks as I enter the room, Peeta guiding me towards our bench in the very back row, next to District Eleven.

Rue turns to me once I plonk myself down next to Peeta.

"When are you due?" she asks wide-eyed.

I shrug my shoulders and reply, "I don't know, soon. Really soon I hope."

"What if you give birth in your training session?" she asks. I didn't think of that.

"I guess my hidden skill will be how loud I can scream while in pain," I reply laughing, which causes the other tributes to stop and stare. Rue giggles and goes back to talking in hushed tones with Thresh, every now and again glancing over her shoulder.

One by one tributes go into the training centre, and they must go out a different door, because whoever goes in doesn't come out.

Because the boys are called in before girls, I'm soon left sitting alone in the waiting area. Peeta is no longer beside me, but in his training session. The minutes crawl by slowly, five, ten, twenty, soon forty five minutes have passed and I still haven't been called in.

"Katniss Everdeen, District 12." Mellark, it's Katniss _Mellark._

Automatic doors open as I heave my massive body into the Training Centre. Spears are still in dummies, swords are still sticking out of targets, the ropes are in knots and there's a hole in the wall from the big heavy weights.

The Gamemakers and the judges sit on a balcony overlooking the entire centre. They're not paying any attention, but exclaiming over the size of the roast pig that just got placed on the banquet table.

I clear my throat as loudly as I can manage. "Katniss Mellark," I say, catching their attention.

They pretend to pay attention as I walk over to the archery station.

I fire targets for a few minutes and look up at the Gamemakers. They're no longer paying attention. Maybe this'll get their attention.

Grabbing a hollow log from the camoflauge station, I break it in half and set it on the floor. Next I pull down some of the curtains and bundle them up in a sausage shape and rip the head off one of the plastic dummies and place them both in the log. I've caught their attention now, no sound comes from the balcony as they all watch my every move. I take a length of rope and tie an acceptable noose and tie it round the neck of the dummy head. To add to the effect, I gather some of the red berry juice and smear a face onto the dummy and all over its curtain body, then smearing it all over my round belly. I've created a scene of what the Gamemakers will be doing to my unborn child by sending me into the Games.

"Thank you for your consideration," I say, smearing my face with more red juice.

I start to walk towards the exit and I realise the paint container is still in my hand. Without a care in the world I throw the bowl over my shoulder, and feel triumph as I hear it and its contents clatter to the floor.

**A/N: Hi guys! I'd like to thank you all for the massive amount of support I've received from you all and, well, THANKS.**

**A special shout-out to**** ilovepeeta4eva ****who has been a huge supporter in the making of this story, so it would make me feel amazeballs if you could go check out her work, so yeah.**

**Like I said, I won't be updating at all next week because I will be attending MYM (if you don't know what that is, look it up) and I will be extremely busay. Hope you all enjoy the story, enjoy the holidays while school is still sleeping! :P**


	7. Chapter 7

'"You what?!"

I just finished retelling what I did in my training session to Effie, Haymitch and Peeta. I'm really out of breath and I start to question myself mentally about whether or not I was breathing during my explanation.

I look at the three faces in front of me. Effie looks like a fish, her mouth making an 'o' before she closes and opens it again, not sure what to say, think or do. Haymitch is still drunk, he's been sitting in the same position for the last five minutes, bottle halfway to his mouth and breathing alcohol breath in Effie's face. Peeta on the other hand, is smiling. No, not smiling. Smirking.

He's smirking at Effie and then at Haymitch and grins at me with his beautiful mouth. I laugh and grab a fistful of his shirt, dragging him sideways towards me and smashing his lips into mine. I feel him smiling beneath my lips and I kiss him more, forgetting that Haymitch and Effie are standing right in front of us.

I hear Haymitch fake gagging and pull away from Peeta with regret. Effie still looks like a goldfish, Haymitch is drinking again and has stopped gagging and Peeta's hand is resting in its rightful place on my stomach.

"Why would you do a thing like that, Katniss?" Effie asks, getting over her stunned goldfish stage.

"What else was I going to do?" I say, "I can't camouflage for shit and even if I could there wouldn't be enough paint to completely cover me up."

"Watch your language!"

"Why? No doubt I'll be dead along with my child in the next forty-eight hours!" I scream and run off to Peeta's room, slamming the door and collapsing on the bed and letting the tears fall in waves down my face.

I hear the door open behind me and I know that it's Peeta walking up behind me. I feel his arms wrap around me and he whispers soothing words in my ear.

"Shh, Katniss, it's okay you did fine, you'll be alright," he says, stroking my hair.

I sniff and wipe my eyes and turn to look at Peeta.

"What did you do?" I ask him.

He smiles and says, "Nothing."

"What do mean you did nothing? You stood there and did nothing?"

"Yep. To show them that I'm not just another piece in their Games," he says, his blue eyes boring into my own.

"That takes guts," I say, pecking him on the lips.

"What you did takes more," he replies.

"Of course it does! I literally have the guts!" I defend, fighting to keep in the laughs.

"Those aren't guts, Katniss," Peeta says. "That is a beautiful creation that we made together, and I'm proud to call it my child."

That was beautiful.

"Oh, Peeta!" A wave of new tears rolls down my face and Peeta kisses them away. He kisses my cheeks, my forehead, my nose and finally my lips. Just thinking that I might not see him ever again is enough to kill me.

"Peeta?" I mumble against his lips.

"Mmm?"

"Will you stay with me? After the baby's born?" I ask, looking into his eyes.

"Yeah," he says. "Always."


	8. Chapter 8

"Okay you two listen up," Haymitch says, pacing in front of me and Peeta.

"Today you go into the arena, I'm sorry sweetheart," he says. "There will be weapons, do not go for them, you run as far as you can and find shelter. And don't step off that pedestal before the cannon sounds or they'll blow you sky high."

That didn't help. It's the Hunger Games, I need a weapon. How am I supposed to protect myself and Peeta?

"Any last advice?" Peeta asks.

Haymitch takes a swig from his flask.

"Yeah," he belches, "Stay alive."

…

The sunlight blinds my eyes. It's not real sunlight. I'm in the arena. Nothing is real inside here. Artificial everything.

I look around me, I can see Peeta a couple pedestals to my right. He shakes his head at me. Telling me not to go for the bow.

I scan all the faces I can see around me. I can see about thirteen tributes, not including Peeta. They're all looking at me. With their movements synchronized, they glance at the countdown screen.

10, 9, 8, 7….

Then eleven tributes jump off their pedestals, blowing them sky high like Haymitch said. They all looked at me before they jumped off, they looked at the baby. They knew what they were doing.

I can see their district numbers on their sleeves from where I stand. Both from seven, both from nine, both from six, the girl from three, the boy from four, the boy from five, the boy from eight and the girl from ten. Eleven lives sacrificed for me.

6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, _BOOM!_

The Cornucopia acts like a magnet, drawing the stronger kids in for the weapons. The Career pack immediately forms but no one kills anybody. Peeta is being dragged away by Thresh, but looks calm, and Rue darts ahead and into the forest.

There's a backpack a couple feet away from me, it's bright orange and bulging with whatever's inside it.

Glancing around me a couple of times, I jump off the pedestal and snatch up the pack and run in the direction where Peeta was being dragged away. The forests' edge comes quickly, no one has tried to attack or kill me.

"Psst!" Who said that?

I frantically look around me.

"Don't step on me," the voice says, and I look down. It's a body, the body of Rue. Tears start to roll down my face, she was too young to die. And then I realise that her eyes are open.

"I'm playing dead," she says.

"Where's Peeta?" I ask, pulling her up.

"Don't worry, he's in a cave with Thresh, they're waiting for you," she replies, leading me by the hand deeper into the forest.

"Are you saying we're allies?" I ask, letting her pull me past a river. A cave comes into view and she gently shoves me inside. Thresh is off to one side, building a wall to block the mouth of the cave with rocks, Rue has settled down and is digging through her pack. Peeta sits in the corner with his head in his hands.

I rest a hand on his shoulder and he pulls me down onto his lap, holding me close, not wanting to let go.

"Peeta, I'm scared," I whisper into his neck.

"I am too, Katniss," he replies.

"We better try get some rest, the Gamemakers are already fucking with the daylight," Thresh says, finishing up the wall, artificial moonlight peeking through all the cracks in the stone.

Rue cuddles up to Thresh, and he's the one keeping watch. He looks at Rue like she's his cute little sister, even if they're not related in any way, shape or form.

Peeta and I lie down together, my head on his chest, his arms wrapped protectively around me.

No nightmares come to visit me, I feel like I'm floating, but not dead….

...

I jolt myself awake and take in my surroundings. I remember that I'm in the cave that Thresh blocked off. Peeta's sitting near my head chewing on what looks to be a berry. Thresh and Rue are eating as well and Rue catches my eye.

"Sleeping Beauty has arisen!" she exclaims, throwing her hands up in the air.

"How long have I been sleeping?" I ask, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"A day and a half," Thresh replies, tossing me some berries.

"A day and a half?" I repeat, Peeta nods.

"The boy from three died, that's it," he says.

"We need more food, we should split up and scavenge," Rue suggests, standing up.

Thresh speaks up at her suggestion. "I'll keep guard with Peeta, you two go find something. Oh and Katniss, I almost forgot," Thresh reaches behind him and hands me a bow and a quiver full of arrows. The objects feel familiar in my hands.

"We should go now," I suggest to the others.

"Now or never," Peeta agrees, standing up and brushing off his pants.

…

"You're married to Peeta, right?" Rue asks me, picking berries.

"Yeah." I'm setting up a snare and warn her not to step on it.

"How long?" she asks.

"About two years," I reply, finishing my snare.

"I'm gonna go shoot some stuff, you keep collecting," I pick up my bow and delve deeper into the forest.

I've shot a couple of squirrels, when a scream interrupts my train of thought.

"Aaaaah! Katniss, heeeellppp!" Oh god, that's Rue.

"Rue!" I cry running towards where I'd left her.

When I reach the clearing, the first thing I see is Rue hanging by her ankle, caught up in my snare.

I aim my arrow at the rope securing the snare and let the arrow fly. Rue drops to the ground in a ball, the fall shouldn't hurt her, for the thick layer of leaves on the ground provides a soft landing.

I rush over to her side and pull her into my arms, just like I did with Prim.

"It's okay, I've got you. Here, let me get that rope off you," I reach down to Rue's ankle and pry the rope away, and her body gives a slight jolt. I turn to face her and my heart is broken immediately.

Rue's eyes have glasses over, and there's a spear buried in her stomach.

I shoot the boy from one, he threw the spear. The arrow flies into his neck, and the cannon goes off. But this is not the time to celebrate his death.

Rue sinks to the ground, her head between my knees.

I'm weeping.

"No, no you can't die, you're too young to die," I sob.

"Don't…think of me as….being killed," Rue pants, "Think of me…..sacrificing…myself…for the…baby."

"I will, Rue. I will," I promise her, my tears falling onto her cheeks.

"You have…to win," she breathes. I nod, but feel numb.

Leaves shake behind me and Peeta barges through the foliage, followed closely by Thresh.

"Katniss-" Peeta starts, then stops once he sees Rue.

"Rue-" Thresh breathes, and sinks to the ground where he stands.

Then the cannon goes off.


End file.
